Likely Looks: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll (Live On Jimmy Fallon)

So, obviously with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs having a new album out, "It's Blitz", along come the TV performances.

Unfortunately, I missed SNL but I did catch Jimmy Fallon and I have to say...borrrring. Karen O built herself up to be this exciting stage presence wherever her performed and now she just looks bored. Her dance moves don't even resemble what she once was on stage and the only touch of old Karen O I saw was her pulling the microphone cord slickly through her fingers and pulling it across her torso.

I love the album and I absolutely love this band...but I think Karen O needs to watch some old videos of herself because he new moves just aren't working

Karen O Announces Side Project

As the Yeah Yeah Yeahs continue on making their third album, Karen O has just announced she will play two inimate shows with her side project "Native Korean Rock".

The shows will happen on July 21st at Union Pool (wooo Karen getting back to her BK routes!)

The tickets are on sale now through Ticketweb...not sure if they will be sold out when you try to purchase them but good luck.

Here's all the info from the official YYYs website:

"Native Korean Rock is a side project of mine comprised of a body of love songs written over the last two years, to be performed with a motley crew of NYC natives. Expect high drama, high stakes in two intimate performances.

Does Native Korean Rock have anything to do with Yeah Yeah Yeahs? NO

Are these the leaked demos of years ago? NO"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Add LA + SF Shows

Thank GOD I didn't buy a ticket to Lollapalooza and end up living on those grimey, marble-stared streets of Hollywood. YYYs have just announced an LA and SF show in addition to their festival performances on the east coast.

Here's an excerpt from their MySpace bulletin announcing the shows:

We are playing two shows in the sunshine state on this very limited, very special august run.
8/21 – San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore – on sale Aug 5 @ 10am
8/22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Mayan - on sale Aug 4 @ 10am
Be smart and take those on sale times with more than a grain of salt!
SEE YOU SOON
LOVE
YYYS

Go. Buy. Take heed. See you there.



x, LA Broad

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - EP and Summer Tour

We all know how much the LA side of this blog loves the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Back with a new EP entitled "Is Is" the band are going to be playing a few gigs around towns (Webster Hall NYC awww yea!) in support of the release.

Here are the dates:

Aug 1 - The Granada Theatre Lawrence, Kansas
Aug 2 - Blue Note Columbia, Missouri
Aug 4 - LOLLAPALOOZA Chicago, Illinois
Aug 5 - VIRGIN Festival Baltimore, Maryland
Aug 7 - Webster Hall New York, New York
Aug 15 - Electric Factory Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug 18 - Download Festival 2007 Mansfield, Massachusetts

NO LA! Sorry West Coasters...

NY Broad x

Likely Looks: Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Down Boy"

Do I really need to say anything to introduce this?



The EP that features "Down Boy"—as well as 4 other songs that were written and recorded in 2004 in between their massive touring schedule for Fever To Tell— called Is Is comes out on July 25 on Interscope. If you can't wait until then, I highly recommend their live DVD that came out in 2004, as well, Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow. it's a live concert movie of their performance at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The DVD also comes with some neat features, like a Spike Jonze directed mini-doc that interviews YYYs fans.

But, don't let me convince you to buy it, I'll let Karen do that....



"IS IS isn't your mommy or daddy's EP
Bad.
Suggestive.
Wrong.
Yes. Yes. YEAH! What's a summer without a little stinking trash to roll around in? We've got the garbage oh yeah we do, dumped into five songs to encourage bad listening habits. YYYS would love to heat up and bother you at a loud volume, so please help us help you and seek out our new tunes? Some of you may know a few of these songs, we've been terrorizing with them at our shows for years, Rockers to Swallow, Down Boy, 10X10, WE GUARANTEE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD THEM LIKE THIS BEFORE, nor have you heard them ALL. We deliver them to you with a snarl this July accompanied with new videos all shot in the dark at a very intimate show we threw last month. We cannot tell you how EXCITED the three of us are to drop this music in your laps, our mouths water at thought of you listening to RTS (ep's first track) in your car stereos.
Summer nights are made for this shit.
This shit IS IS made for summer nights.

THE EP
Songs for the EP were written in 2004 in between touring behind their first record Fever to Tell.
Written amidst one of the most turbulent and emotionally unstable periods in YYYs history, for whatever reason the angst that colored that point in time translates erotically into a sexually charged body of songs. On their choice of producer, Karen O intones; "Nick Launay was the natural choice having produced PIL Flowers of Romance, collectively a favorite between us. I put that record on and want to stuff my mouth with raw hamburger meat.". Is Is is an expression of similar sordid energy, the rawness is unavoidable and good for you too!

THE FILM
YYYs have captured all this excitement in the EP recordings. In fact, they love playing them so much they’ve made a special live film to accompany the EP with co-directors KK Barrett (Sofia Coppola films) and Lance Bangs (video director - Sonic Youth, Nirvana and producer of Director’s Cut series of DVDs – Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham). Recorded in night-vision at Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn on 7th May, the band played 2 sets that night to just 100 lucky fans each time – the first for a mixed audience and the second for females only. There will be 2 filmed versions of lead track Down Boy – one live, and one to EP audio.

EP TRACKLISTING: 1.Rockers to Swallow* 2.Down Boy* 3.Kiss Kiss 4.Isis 5.10x10*. *previously only available on the Tell Me What Rockers To Swallow live DVD with the exception of Down Boy, a demo version of which appeared on a limited edition split 7” single with Liars in Japan and Australia. FORMATS: The EP will be available on CD, double gatefold 7” vinyl, single track download and digital bundle in addition to a special USB stick. All formats will carry all 5 tracks, making this a special, non chart-eligible, release.

Please note – EP title is “Is Is” with a space in between the first “s” and the second “I” whereas track “Isis” has no space.

Confused?

Don’t be."



x, LA Broad

Spiderman 3 vs. Batman Forever

I know this is somewhat old news, but I just saw that the new Spiderman 3 soundtrack has a gasp MySpace page. Who saw that coming? All cynicism aside, you get to listen to 3 new tracks from the album by The Walkmen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Snow Patrol. Being the consummate YYY's fan that I am, I couldn't wait to hear their new track "Sealings."

So, I clicked. I listened.

Karen's voice sounds like she's a hostage--restained and urgent, but anchored by her signature nasally sex kitten coos. The guitar playing is delving into what Nick Zinner seems to love most: metal, but never reaches a frenzy. It goes from high paced chugging, to electronically-induced lullaby notes. It's understated and sinister... sexy.

"I want out / I want out...Drop drop down a floor / Shoot Shoot Out Your Mouth / These days I'm scraped from ceilings"

Karen mixes in her newly strong-voced high registered "oohs" in between the "love, love is in the middle" bridge. Lovely. It's a little too long for my tastes with only a verse, bridge and chorus repeated over 4:30, but when I hear you YYY's, I don't complain.

While I was listening I couldn't help but have a flashback to when I was 13 and the day the Batman Forever soundtrack was released. I trudged up to the specialty record shop in Maui and put down the 15 bucks to get the soundtrack. I think I was the only one on the island to buy it. Why was I so excited about a soundtrack? Was it Seal? Nay. Maybe it was me feeling cool for actually knowing who the Flaming Lips were, but beside all that I fell in LOVE with this soundtrack. It had PJ Harvey! Mazzy Star (a fucking unbelievable track... seriously, just go buy it in the used section for this song)! Redman rapping about Jim Carrey! U2 actually being sexy! Even the not-so cool bands like Brandy and Seal kill their songs with a layer of sultry Gotham gloom. To put it simply, no movie soundtrack had ever sounded this cool. It made my 13 year old ears liste--and learn a ton.

Which brings me back to Spiderman 3. It's being put out by Record Collection, which has been a US home for Ash and bands who happen to grace S3's soundtrack The Walkmen and Simon Dawes. Even though the "indie scene" is way over saturated with a. bands b. exposure and c. mid-thiry somethings having silly haircuts, it still warms any music lover/indie kid's heart (aka mine) to see such a great cull of bands appearing on a mammoth, mainstream soundtrack.

Let's compare:

Batman Forever Soundtrack


1. U2 - "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"
2. P.J. Harvey - "One Time Too Many"
3. Brandy - "Where Are You Now?"
4. Seal - "Kiss From A Rose"
5. Massive Attack With Tracey Thorn - "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game"
6. Eddi Reader - "Nobody Lives Without Love"
7. Mazzy Star - "Tell Me Now"
8. The Offspring - "Smash It Up"
9. Nick Cave - "There Is A Light"
10. Method Man - "The Riddler"
11. Michael Hutchence - "The Passenger"
12. The Devlins - "Crossing The River"
13. Sunny Day Real Estate - "8"
14. The Flaming Lips - "Bad Days"

Listen to songs here

VS.

Spiderman 3 Soundtrack


1. Snow Patrol — "Signal Fire"
2. The Killers — "Move Away"
3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs — "Sealings"
4. Wolfmother — "Pleased To Meet You"
5. The Walkmen — "Red River"
6. Black Mountain — "Stay Free"
7. The Flaming Lips — "The Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How To Be In Love"
9. Simon Dawes — "Scared Of Myself"
10. Chubby Checker — "The Twist"
11. Rogue Wave — "Sightlines"
12. Coconut Records — "Summer Day"
13. Jet — "Falling Star"
14. Sounds Under Radio — "Portrait of A Summer Thief"
15. Wyos — "A Letter To St. Jude"
16. The Oohlas — "Small Parts"

Listen to MySpace here

It's a toss-up. I guess we'll have to wait until good ol' Spidey is released. But kudos to Wayne & co. for keeping it real 12 years later. Don't worry, Wayne, we like the grey!

As a treat for you all, here it is, my favorite B-side flashback:

Mazzy Star - "Tell Me Now"
(only a brief clip!)

Enjoy.

x, LA Broad